Not true

Nick Raynsford, Local Government Minister, London SW1

12:01AM GMT 20 Nov 2002

Sir - You report the claims of some council leaders that funding will be taken away from some local authorities and given to others on the basis of where they happen to be located in the country (Nov 16).

This is not true. There is no question of shifting resources according to the dictates of political geography. We want a grant system that looks at the circumstances authorities face, and puts the money where it is most needed. We are balancing up all of the pressures, evidence and representations - including those from councils in the South-East.

As you report, we have already guaranteed that no authority will receive less money in the next settlement than they got this year, on a like-for-like basis. There is absolutely no basis for the suggestion that the eight counties in the South-East will get £500 million less grant from government next year.